Something a little different is occurring on Thursday May 3rd, 2012
over at the VFW, which is about 2 blocks from The Quill and Quilt.
They are calling this “Savory Support” and it is a fundraiser to help
raise money and awareness for local veterans…

The main sponsor of the event is The Cannon Falls Ladies Auxiliary VFW
Post #4452. They have teamed up with Rod’s Liquor store and the VFW
itself to put on a wine and craft beer tasting. This promises to be a
fun and interesting event.

Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Tickets can be purchased
at the Cannon Falls VFW and from Auxiliary members.
The Cannon Falls VFW is located at 218 North 4th Street~ Cannon Falls.
The event is from 6-8 p.m. Thursday 5/3/2012

The Cannon River Winery has put out their live music schedule for this summer and it is full every weekend out to August. Nothing better then sipping award winning wine while listening to a local artist ply their trade. Ok one thing makes it better is to spend the night at Cannon Falls only B&B!

We are currently offering the Quill and Quilt Bed and Breakfast for sale. Contact info is below. Please understand this is an ongoing business and as such all viewings etc need to be scheduled.

This beautiful house was built in 1897, in the Colonial Revival style of architecture, and for the family of a prominent physician. The house and property are in excellent condition. There are many features of the home which have been preserved throughout the years. Some examples include the fan-shaped leaded glass window, wood floors, brick, pocket doors, porches and the fireplaces. There are many quality updates and improvements that have been made including 200-amp electrical and upgraded plumbing infrastructure. So, the combination of this has resulted in a charming home with plenty of character, that is also very comfortable and modern in many functional aspects.
There are 8 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms in the house, 5 of which are used a bed & breakfast guest rooms/suites. In the current configuration there are five guest rooms and each has a full size private attached bathroom with a large whirlpool jet tub. Four of the five have two-person whirlpool tubs and a shower built separate from the whirlpool. One has an oversized single whirlpool with a shower structure built into this enclosure. The guest rooms are all on the 2nd or 3rd floor of the house, maximizing privacy for guests and innkeepers alike.
One of the other 3 bedrooms is located on the first floor, and in the current configuration is used for spa/massage services. There is another full bathroom on the first floor. Also located on the first floor, and in what is generally common area, is an impressive parlor featuring an original porcelain tile and quarter-sawn oak fireplace, a library with floor to ceiling shelves, large dining room, foyer and entry area adorned in specialty woodwork, and original wood in excellent condition throughout with fully functional pocket doors separating the rooms, and much more.
The kitchen is located in what is considered private innkeeper space, but also on the first floor. It is spacious with a center island, with lots of cupboard and counter space. Off the kitchen is a combination mudroom/porch, which has a sitting area and a stone fireplace (gas), and access to a private deck which leads around to the dining area.
The lower level of the house is completely private and is also private innkeeper space in the current arrangement. The entire lower level is completely and nicely finished as private innkeeper space. This area has another (3/4) bathroom, as well as the laundry area and space for an office. There are two bedrooms and a living room area. The LL walks out to a large private deck, and has been fitted with egress windows and an air exchange system.
There is a large 4-stall, two level garage – the upper level being a large storage space. The garage has a gas fired furnace for heat (when needed) and considerable electrical capacity.
This is a fully functional, turnkey bed and breakfast. Each of the five guest rooms is outfitted with a quality bed, private luxury attached bathroom with a whirlpool tub, fireplace, wall mounted TV with DVD and cable, d?cor, furniture, A/C, and everything needed to operate as a top quality B&B.
The location of the property is perfect, located just a block or two from the town’s most important attractions – The Cannon River Winery and The Cannon Valley Trail, as well as the downtown section of Cannon Falls, and The Cannon Falls – yet the house is located on a residential street and away from any thoroughfares. The back of the house overlooks a beautiful baseball field, which parallels the Little Cannon River leading up to the falls and city trails.
In relation to the primary market, The Twin Cities, Cannon Falls can be accessed easily on US Hwy 52. It is therefore a very easy 30 minute drive to St. Paul or about 40 minutes to Minneapolis – and is easily reached in 20-60 minutes from anywhere in the metropolitan area. Cannon Falls is also the logical halfway point between Rochester and The Twin Cities.

Spring has come so early that it needs to be discussed. We have green glass and flowers already in the garden. It is a little less pretty then it sounds as some stuff has not responded to the early spring.

The golf courses are all open and actually in really great shape. Golfing on a really nice fairway in April is not that common so it is worth doing. We have two very nice courses in Cannon Falls so come check them out.

The bike trail has been open for a while but it is now biking through the green pathway along the Cannon River that it was intended to be. I would plan a late afternoon bike ride as we seem to be getting over 60 almost everyday by 3 PM. We are seeing some great days so come down for that.

The annual Nature Valley Bicycle Festival is coming back to Cannon Falls on Thursday, June 14th, 2012. This annual event uses the Cannon Valley Bike Trail that starts in Cannon Falls and goes to Red Wing, MN. This is a great even to come see with the kids and family.

In addition, this year we will be helping raise funds for Children’s Lighthouse of Minnesota the new beneficiary for the 2012 event. Children’s Lighthouse of Minnesota is the first hospice and respite care home in Minnesota exclusively for children.

Along with helping to raise money for this worthy cause, this event is also great publicity for our community and a great way to let people know what a great place Cannon Falls is to shop in, to bike in, to visit and to live in! It is also a great opportunity to promote the Cannon Valley Trail. Do you know that Cannon Falls receives over $50,000 worth of media and marketing publicity by hosting this event? Check out the website at www.naturevalleybicyclefestival.com , click on “Grand Prix” and follow the links to see the great publicity that is printed about Cannon Falls!

Planning is now underway to make this year’s race, expo area, kids race and other activities bigger and better. There will be live music, concessions and other booths in the Cannon Falls expo area located on Mill Street in front of the library plus Nature Valley will be once again hosting a neighborhood picnic at the Eastside Park as a way to say thank you to those folks living along the in-town circuit. The Cannon Falls Community Band will be performing at the Neighborhood Picnic. This is your opportunity to see world-class professional athletes in action and help a worthy cause at the same time.

They are looking for helpers so make a day of it and help a great cause and help promote biking in MN.

Now a family tradition here in Cannon Falls, the annual
Children’s Easter Hunt will be held on Saturday, APRIL
7 at 10 a.m. The Easter Bunny has assured us that he/she
will be hopping in to give us a hand!
Children aged 10 and under are invited to come to the parking lot of the Cannon
Falls Library to get a number that matches a number on a bag of Easter candy at
one of the participating businesses. They are also asked to bring a donation of
food or cash for the Cannon Falls Food Shelf. This event was created as a vehicle
to promote local businesses. Children and their parents go from business to
business in search of the matching number.
Here’s what you need to know to participate in this promotion:
Candy bags will be assembled on Thursday, April 5 at 8 a.m. at the CANNON
FALLS CITY HALL. PLEASE NOTE: TIME AND DATE!! Bags are
numbered and labeled with the business name on them. The day of the event you
either need to set the bags in a window so people can see the numbers OR post the
numbers on your door, so participants know which bags you have. All
participating businesses are asked to send a representative to help fill the baskets.
Remember the old adage…“Many hands make light the work”.
There is no cost to you to participate. Any Chamber member business that is open
on Saturdays is invited to take part in this promotion.
If you would like to be a part of this event, please call or email the
Chamber office BY FRIDAY, MARCH 30TH. Questions??? Call
the Chamber at 263-2289 or email: tourism@cannonfalls.org

The The Cactus Blossoms are coming to Cannon Falls. this is a must see concert in the new auditorium. See more below.

You have to drive no further than Cannon Falls to enjoy world-class entertainment! The Cactus Blossoms, one of the metro area’s top Country & Western bands will be performing a benefit concert in the Cannon Falls High School Auditorium, on Saturday, March 31 at 7 p.m. The concert also includes a special guest appearance by The Dovetailers.

The Cactus Blossoms recorded their debut CD locally, at the LittleBig Studio co-owned by Brent Sigmeth and Jeff McCusker. It is that local connection that has given us the opportunity to hear this group perform. The success of this concert will likely open the door to more and more events of this caliber to be held at the auditorium. Our new auditorium at the Cannon Falls High School provides the perfect venue for events like this.

Proceeds from this event will go toward the installation of new lighting for the auditorium as well as maintenance. Advanced tickets are available online at http://www.cfaud.eventbrite.com Enter promo code: Cactus for $5 off ticket price. Tickets also available at the door for $20.

This is a great way for you to enjoy a great concert and support the use of the new auditorium as well.

After one of the mildest winters in history, we finally have some snow and more on the way. Welch village has been open all year and will continue to the end of the season. But now we have some decent snow scheduled. I do not mind skiing on man made snow as all skiing is good but lets face it, skiing on the real stuff is better. So if you have been putting off your weekend getaway then now is the time. Make it a weekend getaway with a nice stay at the Quill and Quilt combined with a bunch of downhill skiing. We are just minutes away from Welch Village. Get all the comfort and feel of a premier B&B with the great outdoor activity of skiing. Reserve today!

Need a gift idea? Want to purchase something that will please anyone on your list? Want to do something good for the local economy and support local businesses at the same time? Why not purchase Chamber Merchandise Certificates this holiday season?

Chamber Merchandise Certificates can be ordered and purchased through the Chamber office. The certificates are done in increments of $5 or $10 and can be redeemed at ANY CF Chamber member business in exchange for goods or services. There is no expiration date on the Chamber Merchandise Certificates.

If you are planning to give Chamber dollars away as Christmas gifts, please purchase them prior to December 21st.

We are Chamber members and will be accepting these at the Quill and Quilt Bed and Breakfast. This is a fantastic gift idea for friends and family. Give them to your co-workers or where ever you are having a hard time thinking of gift idea. These keep on giving to the local community. So please support Cannon Falls!

“Give the gift of jobs and prosperity, Buy Local this Holiday Season.”

This holiday season, we are seeing lots of people trying help their local economy and “Buy Local.” This is a fantastic way to keep money in your local economy. Money that is then multiplied many times as it continues to circulate in the local economy. As an exampple, a stay at our B&B is then distributed to the Cannon Falls area such. We hire locals for our staffing needs. We purchase our chocolates from a local confections store in Hastings. We purchase our produce from the Ferndale Market right here in Cannon Falls. We use the local Hi-Quality Bakery for our snacks and treats. Our mortgage gets paid to the local White Rock Bank here in town. Add in all of the trades people that is takes to maintain a 100 year old home in the Minnesota climate, and you can be assured that the vast majority of your spent monies will stay local.Add in property taxes and utilities and we are probably around 90% of the money stays right here in Minnesota with over half staying in Goodhue County. It will be hard to beat that.

You can compare this to shopping in a large big box store. The only local thing is the store which was designed to be maintenance free for the most part. Then they hire locals to work there which is nice, and we would all hate to lose those jobs in our community but after that? The product is made over seas. The home office costs and profit all go off to where ever. The product cost is at least 50% or more of the total and that is for sure leaving not just the area but the country.These stores and products serve a purpose in that they keep the cost of raising a family and living in the USA down. But when it is extra money that you are looking to give to friends and family in the form of a gift then does this really make sense?

Quill and Quilt Gift Certificate

If you do find local products at your local stores then you are on the right track and more power to you. But for those who are stilling struggling to find a fast and easy way to assure that you are buying local then a gift certificate to your local B&B is the way to go. I am hoping for all the best for you and yours this holiday season. Buy local!